New Orleans police are investigating the fatal shooting of a man in Central City on Monday. Officers were dispatched about 10:30 a.m. to the 2300 block of South Prieur Street in reference to a "male down," police spokesman Officer Frank Robertson III said in a news release.

View full sizeMichael DeMocker / The Times-PicayuneNew Orleans police investigate the shooting death of a man found with multiple gunshot wounds on S. Prieur at First Street about 10:30 am on Monday, September 17, 2012.

The victim, who police said appeared to be in his mid-20s or 30s, was found lying on the sidewalk next to a black Nissan sedan parked in front of a shotgun house. On the street and sidewalk surrounding the victim's body, police laid at least 16 neon green evidence cones, which usually indicate bullet casings.

"They say they shot about 30 times," said a woman watching the crime scene. "In broad daylight. They ain't got no morals."

As rain poured down, 6th District Commander Robert Brady observed the investigation from a nearby shelter. "The weather can sometimes be an impediment, but I don't think it is today," he said. "The evidence is all there."

Groups of neighbors, huddled under umbrellas, asked each other if they knew who the victim was. Nobody seemed to know. A 44-year-old neighbor who asked not to be named said the constant gunfire made her desperate to move out of Central City.

She said she was shot in the arm by an unknown man a few months ago while walking in the same block as Monday's murder. Two other people were hit in that shooting, she said. "I don't come out the house now ever since I got shot," she said. "He came shooting wild. I'm not trying to find out who did it. I didn't know him and he didn't know me."

She said she wanted to move to a neighborhood in eastern New Orleans where she hoped it would be safe enough to allow her four young children to play outside.

Homicide detective Andrew Waldron is in charge of the investigation and can be reached at 504.658.5300. Anyone with information on this incident can contact Crimestoppers at 504.822.1111.